so what if you don't commit any crimes but you help someone else commit one
you're off the hook, right?
surely being helpful isn't a crime, it's in the boy scout motto
well there are crimes that cover being just a little too helpful
you can be charged as an accessory which is hilariously ironic
if you're part of a gang that steals belts and handbags
there are two kinds accessories, those who help before or during the crime
and those who help after the crime has already happened
accessories who help before or during the crime are also usually called principals
so how do you become this kind of accessory?
well, first you need the right intent
you need you intend for a crime to be committed and
also intend to assist in the commission of that crime
so, imagine that your friend is committing a burglary and you walk by
and decide to help then you would be an accessory
now if you see your friend carrying a TV and decide to help
and because that TV isn't his you help him steal it without realizing
that wouldn't make you an accessory because you didn't mean
for burglary to be committed or to assist with one
you're just dumb
the second thing you need to be an accessory is to aid in the crime
either before or during you don't actually have to commit it
just aid the person who does commit it you could buy the supplies
or you could drive the getaway car or you could even just
offer to assist, providing encouragement
to the person committing the crime, even if they don't use your help
as a matter a fact, you can even be an accessory
where the person committing the crime
doesn't know you're helping
or where your help isn't any help at all
its a different less serious offense to help someone after they've committed a crime
this is called being an accessory after the fact
the difference is that if you help someone commit a crime
you are guilty of that crime, if you help someone after they commit a crime
it's a different crime that doesn't rank is high and won't involve its harsh a
punishment when you're caught
some places merge this crime with the broader crime of obstructing justice
basically to be an accessory after the fact you need to help someone
who committed a felony, a category of more serious crimes
the difference is that the help comes after
the crime has been completed
this usually means after the criminal has left the crime scene
so hiding someone or lying to the police would both count
another crime that involves people working together is a conspiracy
this is where 2 or more people agree in advance to commit a crime
or help someone commit a crime
the conspirators have to take some step toward the crime
aside from just talking about it
and they have to agree to commit a specific crime
not just agree to be criminals
in some places you can even have a criminal conspiracy where one side
of the agreement doesn't actually mean to do their end of the deal
like when a cop is setting up a criminal
conspiracy is a big deal not so much for the crime itself
but because the conspirators are automatically liable
for every other crime committed by
any co-conspirators to accomplish the goal of the conspiracy
so if you join a huge bank robbing gang to drive the getaway car
and this happens, you're going to jail for murder
so conspiracy charges are an effective way to convict people for more crimes
and there you have it